Stadion an der Alten Försterei

A Labour of Love

It’s not only the “beautiful game“ that makes a fan’s heart beat faster, but also the club stadium – as is only too apparent at the “An der Alten Försterei” stadium, home to 1. FC Union Berlin. When it came to transforming the old Sportpark Sadowa into a location for top-flight league football, the fans were more than ready to do their bit. That enthusiasm was most recently evident in 2008–2009 when nearly 2,500 volunteers put in 140,000 hours of unpaid work into converting the stadium and refurbishing the terraces.

Today, the stadium, originally opened in 1920, can hold 22,012 fans – making it Berlin’s largest “football only” stadium. And it has one special feature which Union fans love – standing room only for 18,395 fans on the terraces! Since 2008, after a varied and chequered career, the 1. FC Union Berlin has now successfully established itself in the second Bundesliga. With the support of its fans, the stadium has also become renowned for hosting some very special events, including the annual Christmas sing-a-long when fans swap terrace chants for festive carols!